The new identity of the Ravens’ offense was changed shortly into the offseason.
According to second-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Ravens coach John Harbaugh had a series of meetings to determine what the Ravens were going to look like in 2024.
It was a time for clarity. It wasn’t an identity crisis, but putting the pieces together.
“People throw around the word identity, which is a little bit strong, but it was more like who are we, what do we want to look like, how do we present it in a manner that we can execute,” Monken told The Baltimore Sun. “He pointed out this is where we want to go moving forward and how we want to do it.
“I guess it is like knowing all the words to a song when it comes on the radio, if that makes sense, where you’re not having to guess the words. But how do we get to that point? How do we redirect but maximize all the talent to determine this is what we want to look like? In my 35 years of coaching, it was the best offseason I’ve ever had.”
It worked.
This season, the Ravens (5-2) are No. 1 in total offense (461.4), rushing offense (210.9), red zone offense (75.9% touchdown rate) and tied for first in points per game (31.1). They are also No. 2 in third down efficiency (50%) and No. 4 in fourth down at 80%.
It’s ridiculous to get into the offensive packages because, to some degree, all NFL teams run some variations. What’s important is that the Ravens have learned from previous playoff and regular-season losses, including January’s 17-10 AFC championship game defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs here in Baltimore.
In that game, the Ravens were down 17-7 at the half after Harrison Butker kicked a 52-yard field goal with four seconds left. The Ravens panicked. Quarterback Lamar Jackson got more involved in his passing duel with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes instead of running the ball.
There seemed to be some communication problems between Monken and Jackson as far as the run-pass ratio in the second half. The Ravens faced a similar situation with Tampa Bay on Monday night, trailing 10-0 with two seconds left in the first quarter.
This time, there was no panic. The Ravens stayed within the basic concepts of their offense with a run-first mentality.
“We did a lot of really good things last year,” said Monken, who scripts his first 12 plays. “Obviously a lot of things you wish you did differently, but the rest of it was pretty good. We were on our way at times, but it didn’t end well. So, there is a bad taste. We had to live with that the whole offseason. That drives you, that motivates you in a lot of ways.
“When that situation comes up again, how do you have better control? Then there are some things that have nothing to do with anyone else but me. The players have been great this year, but they were great last year, too. We have a tremendous staff and everybody wants and loves working together to do as much as possible this season while we’re all here.”
The calls, though, have been excellent, the best since Gary Kubiak was the Ravens’ offensive coordinator in 2014.
Ever since Harbaugh arrived in Baltimore in 2008, the Ravens haven not been able to run screens. In fact, it was just downright ugly because the timing was off and the offensive linemen couldn’t get downfield.
But against the Buccaneers, running back Justice Hill scored on a 18-yard screen pass in the second quarter. The Ravens had four offensive linemen out in front, and it was a thing of beauty because they were so close to each other that they could have held hands and sang “Kumbaya.”
The Bucs were caught so off guard that center Tyler Linderbaum didn’t need to block anyone and was running down the left sideline cheering with one of his teammates who wasn’t even on the field as Hill scored.
“After the second game, we just talked about detailing it out, being creative in how we get the ball to people and our landmarks,” Monken said. “The more success you have, the more you tend to go to it situationally, or at least are talking about it.”
But there have been other notable differences. Against Tampa Bay, Monken had two receivers split out far to the left. They both ran downfield to clear out for tight end Mark Andrews, who started out on the right before dragging across the middle for a 20-yard reception.
The Ravens had run a similar play the week before against Washington, but this time Andrews started out on the same side as the receivers and then ran a “banana” route to avoid becoming too predictable.
That earns Monken more bonus points. In the first four weeks of the season, Andrews was targeted only nine times and caught six passes. In back-to-back weeks against Dallas and Buffalo, he didn’t have a catch. Now, he has 17 catches for 227 yards and three touchdowns, setting the all-time franchise record.
An invisible player has become visible again, without complaining publicly.
“I don’t blame the skilled players,” said Monken, who also has to spread the ball around to receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Isaiah Likely as well as running backs Derrick Henry, Hill and recently returned speedster Keaton Mitchell. “A lot of their self-worth, their salary comes from being able to showcase their talent, their ability. We do have a lot of good skilled players that deserve to touch the football. I am happy for Mark over the last few games because we’ve gotten him in the end zone and that helps motivate guys in the practice, and being involved. We do try to make a conscientious effort.
“But it’s really no different than a baseball player wanting more at-bats or a basketball player wanting to shoot. Skilled players are going to want to touch the ball. Also, remember, winning helps. That’s a big help.”
After an 0-2 start, the Ravens have won five straight. While TV cameras often show Monken dialing up plays in the press box, he is always in dialogue with other offensive assistants.
Players, though, can offer suggestions to Monken in preparing for a game. Some veterans, such as Nelson Agholor or Andrews, might offer a route change or suggest a spacing issue. Others, especially younger players, are more prone to follow the exact game plan until they gain more experience.
Jackson, in his seventh season, has the right to text Monken during the week with suggestions. But there is never a lack of communication as far as Jackson being able to set the blocking assignments with Linderbaum.
Jackson has completed 135 of 198 passes for 1,810 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He has also rushed 73 times for 455 yards and two scores, making him the early betting favorite to win a third NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
“I’ve said to a lot of people, I thought we did a great job of streamlining who we wanted to be,” Monken said. “It’s Lamar’s second year in the system, I think he’s more comfortable with the verbiage. I think we’re doing a better job of presenting things to him systemically, so, it’s a lot of everything. He’s always had the keys to what we do, it’s just a matter of us doing it better as a staff, doing better as a team, and then him feeling comfortable about whatever he’s getting us into.
“A play, a call, a protection, whatever that might be. To me, that’s just an evolution of playing, being together, and a comfort level of just doing it more consistently.”
The offensive line has also improved since the first two games. In those contests, the group played against two of the better defensive lines in the NFL in Kansas City and Las Vegas.
Monken can’t say enough about the coaching job of George Warhop, who replaced offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris after the 70-year-old longtime assistant died in late August. According to Monken, both he and Warhop had coached together during their time in Tampa Bay.
The offensive line, a problem area at the beginning of the season, has performed well lately led by left tackle Ronnie Stanley and Linderbaum. The group has also been helped by the team’s run-pass ratio as the Ravens have 239 rushing attempts compared with 199 passing attempts. Pass protection is not this group’s forte.
“Those guys are very conscientious of doing things right and being consistent in communicating,” Monken said. “The more you can run the football, the more you help yourself out. The more you hand the ball off, it takes a lot of pressure off these guys.”
It’s all gone well for the Ravens. If the offense continues to flourish, there might be some head coaching opportunities for Monken at the end of the year.
Monken, though, might be the odd man out. He is 58 years old in a league in which owners are going for young coaches. Seattle’s Mike Macdonald is 37 and there are several other thirty somethings like New England’s Jerod Mayo, the Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay, Houston’s DeMeco Ryans, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell and Indianapolis’ Shane Steichen.
But Monken might be able to dazzle a lot of NFL owners with coachspeak. He has that raspy, gravel tone voice. He’s been in the NFL circles before with Cleveland and Tampa Bay and won back-to-back national championships as Georgia’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022.
Plus, he is charismatic and has a wonderful sense of humor.
“I don’t worry about things that I don’t control, and I don’t control anything other than here right now,” Monken said. “Someone told me a long time ago that the path to the penthouse and the outhouse is the same distance.
“My goal is to get us better every week.”
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.